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Canadian Forces put winter resolve to test in Nunavut

A platoon from Domestic Response Company comprised of soldiers from units across Southern Ontario, fire the C7 rifle during Exercise Trillium Response in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut on Tuesday February 18, 2014. (Photo by: MCpl Dan Pop, Canadian Army Public Affairs)

There are hundreds of Canadian soldiers who are no doubt longing for the much milder winter weather southern Ontario has to offer after a week of camping out on the frozen Hudson Bay and snowmobiling across Nunavut.

The 300 or so reserve and regular force troops, members of the 4th Canadian Division, landed in Rankin Inlet on Feb. 15 for a massive military manoeuvre dubbed Exercise Trillium Response 14.

They have been treated to icy winds, blinding snow squalls and temperatures that have dipped to below -50C as they take part in the 10-day exercise aimed at honing their winter field skills.

“Canadian soldiers can go anywhere, in any conditions and show up ready to carry out their mission,” Lt.-Col. Shane McArthur, Land Component Commander, said in a statement released by the Canadian Armed Forces this week.

“This exercise is a great opportunity for our soldiers to train and test our survivability, mobility and sustainability in a challenging environment with realistic conditions and we do this in cooperation with the Canadian Rangers from 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group who provide advice, guidance and expertise to our soldiers,” he explained.

For the past decade, our troops have been focused on operating in the sand and heat of Afghanistan.

And with that mission wrapping up, CAF officials decided it was time for our soldiers to “reacquire and sharpen” their arctic fighting and survival skills, which are necessary for protecting the nation’s sovereignty in the north.

The soldiers participating in the exercise, who are from southern Ontario, were greeted by bone-chilling temperatures when they arrived in Rankin Inlet — a community of about 2,500 residents located 2,300 km northwest of Toronto.

“That first breath of air getting off the plane was something else,” said Master Cpl. Lyle Painter, of Barrie. “But at least the sun was shining, so that was good.”

Cpl. Logan McKnight, from Hamilton, has soldiered in the Arctic before and he said it’s important to watch each other for signs of frostbite.

“Any exposed skin gets frozen in minutes,” he said. “You can lose layers upon layers of skin and you won’t feel it at all.”

Some troops headed out Monday onto the barren Hudson Bay sea ice and spent several nights sleeping in Arctic tents while learning to build igloos and find their way across the snow and ice.

Other soldiers participated in a 110-km patrol to the more northern community of Chesterfield Inlet, a two-day trip by snowmobile.